Bangladesh secured a nail-biting 7-run victory over the West Indies in the first T20I at Kingstown, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The victory came in the morning of Bangladesh’s 54th Victory Day anniversary, commemorating the country’s liberation from Pakistan in 1971, making the occasion even more special.
Mahedi Hasan was the star of the match, earning Player of the Match honours for his brilliant all-round performance. He contributed an unbeaten 26 runs with the bat and then dismantled the West Indies batting lineup with a career-best 4 for 13.
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After being put into bat, Bangladesh posted a modest total of 147 for 6. Soumya Sarkar top-scored with 43 off 32 balls, while Shamim Hossain’s quickfire 27 off 13 provided much-needed momentum at the death.
Mahedi played a crucial role in stabilizing the innings, forging a vital partnership with Shamim. West Indies' Akeal Hosein was the best bowler for the hosts, taking 2 for 13 in his four overs.
West Indies, chasing 148, were rocked early by Taskin Ahmed and Mahedi. By the 7th over, the hosts were reduced to 38 for 5, with Mahedi’s four-wicket burst sending jitters through the batting order.
“We tried to bowl straight and stick to our process,” Mahedi explained. “It was crucial to maintain partnerships, and I’m glad we could execute our plans.”
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Despite the collapse, captain Rovman Powell led a fightback with a 60 off 35 balls. Alongside Romario Shepherd, Powell stitched a record 67-run partnership for the eighth wicket, giving West Indies a glimmer of hope.
With 20 runs needed off the final three overs, Taskin Ahmed delivered a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Shepherd for 22. Powell followed soon after, caught in the deep, as West Indies fell short, bowled out for 140 in 19.5 overs.
“The pitch didn’t behave as expected, and we felt 150-160 would have been a good score,” Bangladesh captain Litton Das lauded his team’s fighting spirit. “But we believed in our bowlers and fielders, and they delivered. This win gives us confidence going into the next game.”
Litton also set a personal milestone, breaking the record for most dismissals by a Bangladesh wicketkeeper in a T20I innings with five.
“We lost wickets in clusters, and that was the only way they could stay in the game,” Powell admitted his side missed opportunities. “Our batting let us down after a credible bowling performance. We need honest conversations about what went wrong.”